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Frozen novelties is a $4.9 billion annual business. Sales were up 4% but unit sales rose only 2.2% in the 52 weeks ended Feb. 19, 2017, according to IRI, a Chicago-based market research firm.

To quote Ecclesiastes (and The Byrds): “To every thing there is a season.” And these days, to every season there is a flavor.

Burlington, Vt.-based Ben & Jerry’s has a new lineup of ice cream flavors sold exclusively in its scoop shops nationwide.

Here’s a modern-day checklist for developing and selling a new food or beverage:

• Have an intriguing origin story
• Use only recognizable ingredients (nothing too chemical-sounding)
• Make it portable
• Be interactive with consumers
• Tie the product to a cause

Whether your plant processes thin or viscous products, you need the right equipment. Suppliers of pumps and valves describe what’s right for each job and how to clean and maintain them.

We spoke with Jean-Pierre Berlan, sales director for Tetra Pak Processing U.S. and Canada, to learn more about extended-shelf life (ESL) technology. He talked about that as well as the market opportunity available by investing in ESL processing.

Byrne Dairy is a family-owned, 84-year-old dairy processor that has kept up with the times. The Syracuse, N.Y.-based company started in 1933 with fresh milk in glass bottles. Today at its Ultra facility, Byrne manufactures various extended shelf life milk products with code dates ranging from 70 to 180 days.